those of Mirelandorn, Winless, and Bilbster, amounting to 369 souls, while about seven miles from the church of Wick, are within two miles of that of Wattin. This mal-arrangement ought to be remedied.

All

Allowing eighteen inches to a sitting, the church will contain 1981 sitters. It is seated, however, to contain only 1835. the seats are said to be free. The church is well attended.

Though much too large for the comfort either of the minister or of the congregation, the church of Wick does not afford nearly sufficient accommodation for the population of the parish. This deficiency is in part supplied by the mission of Bruan, and the quoad sacra parish of Keiss.

Mission of Bruan.—At first, this mission comprehended Berridale and Bruan, at which places divine worship was celebrated alternately. Since a parliamentary church was erected at the former place in 1826, the labours of the missionary have been confined to Bruan.

The mission-house is situated in the parish of Wick, but just within the boundary which divides it from the parish of Latheron. The principal part of it was built in 1798, to which an aisle was subsequently added. It is a very plain thatched building, capable of accommodating 585 sitters. The manse, on which is a debt of L. 50, and glebe of four acres, are within the parish of Latheron. The ground was generously given by the family of Ulbster. The missionary district comprehends the extremity of the parish of Latheron in the southern extremity of the parish of Wick. In 1840, the population of the Latheron portion was 770; that of the Wick portion as follows:

Adherents of the Church, 450 males, 491 females, total 946

21

Seceders,
Independents, 10

Total, 481

37

14

542

Almost all the inhabitants engage in fishing.

58

24

1028

The endowments of the mission consist of the manse and glebe, and L.25 Sterling annually, given by the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge. Seat-rents make up the missionary's stipend to nearly L.100 a-year. But the district is very poor, and this latter source of income varies considerably. An additional endowment, even of L. 50 a-year, would be an unspeakable blessing to this important mission.

Missionaries of Bruan.-1 William Mackintosh, afterwards

minister of Thurso; 2. John M'Donald, now minister of Ferrintosh; 3. Donald M'Gillivray, afterwards minister of Kilmallie; 4. Duncan M'Gillivray, now minister of Lairg; 5. William Sutherland, now in America; 6. George Davidson, now minister of Latheron; 7. Archibald Cook, now minister of the North Church, Inverness; 8. John Sinclair, A. M., present incumbent.

Parish of Keiss, quoad sacra.-The quoad sacra parish of Keiss was erected 1833, by authority of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. It is composed of the northern extremity of Wick and of the southern extremity of Canisbay. The boundaries have not yet been settled. It is understood, however, that the portion which belongs to Wick is bounded on the north and northeast by Canisbay; on the north-west by Bower; on the south by the southern ridge of the valley of Wester; on the east by the sea. The Wick portion is five miles in length, and three miles and a-half in average breadth.

The church and manse were built by Government in 1827, at a cost of L. 1500. They are situated on a rising ground at the northern side of the bay of Keiss. Fronting the west, they command an extensive view of the surrounding country. On the opposite side of Keiss-bay, to the left, are seen the gloomy ruins of castles Sinclair and Girnigoe, with the bold and rugged promontory of Noss-Head. The view is bounded in the distance, by the mighty hills which separate Caithness from Sutherland, called Morven, Skerubin, and Maiden-Paps.

The population of that part of the parish of Keiss which is situated within the civil parish of Canisbay is about 200 souls. The part within the civil parish of Wick contains, of males, 362; females, 447; total, 809; of these, 2 are Original Seceders, 12 Anabaptists, 1 is a Reformed Presbyterian, and 1 a Methodist.

The church of Keiss, which is situated within the civil parish of Wick, is capable of holding about 350 sitters. Were galleries erected, it would accommodate 200 more. There is an endowment of L. 120 granted by Government. No glebe is attached to the living.

There is a register of births and marriages kept by the sessionclerk, which commenced after the passing of an act of the General Assembly in 1833, constituting the Government churches parishes quoad sacra.

Ministers of Keiss.-1827, Thomas Jolly, now minister of Bowden; 1829, Thomas Gun, present incumbent.

New Church at Pulteneytown.-It is proposed still farther to increase church-accommodation for the parish of Wick, by the building of an Extension church in Pulteneytown, capable of accommodating 950 persons. Subscriptions amounting to L. 662, 13s. 6d. have been obtained for this most desirable object. The foundation stone was laid on March 17, 1841.

Missionary.-The Rev. David Mitchell has laboured assiduously, as missionary under the Church of Scotland in Pulteneytown, for about two years. He is supported by subscriptions.

Notwithstanding the accommodation provided at Keiss and Bruan, and that which is proposed to be provided at Pulteneytown, the parish church of Wick, though large, is altogether insufficient for the population. After deducting the 809 included in the parish of Keiss, and the 1028 within the mission of Bruan, there are at present within the parish of Wick, quoad sacra, 1842 households, comprising, of males, 3482; of females, 4032; total 7514. Taking the number of those who ought to have church-accommodation at the proportion of 55 to the 100, there ought to be church-accommodation for 4132; but the parish church can accommodate only 1835; thus leaving unaccommodated 2297: Or if Pulteneytown ultimately shall be erected into a parish, then there will remain a population in the parish of Wick quoad sacra of 6505 souls. Of these there ought to be accommodated 3577; but the church accommodates only 1835, leaving unaccommodated 1742: Or, making a liberal allowance for Dissenters of all descriptions, and stating their numbers at 2100, which will reduce the number of churchmen to 5414, of whom there ought to be accommodated 2977; but the church accommodates only 1835; thus leaving without accommodation 1142 souls.

But the great deficiency lies in pastoral superintendence. It is altogether impossible for one single minister to superintend effectively 7514 persons, or, making allowance for Dissenters, 5414. This will appear still more evident, when the prodigious influx of strangers, amounting to near 10,000, during the fishing season, is taken into consideration. There is not a parish in all broad Scotland, whence issues a more urgent call for help. We are numerous and we are poor; and, from the fisheries and other causes, are exposed to many and great temptations,

which nothing but the full, unfettered, and frequent ministrations of the glorious Gospel of the grace of God, carried home on the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, can effectively counteract.

On December 6, 1840, the number of persons on the Communion Roll was, of males, 132; of females, 355; total, 487. The Lord's Supper is dispensed twice a-year in this parish; and the dispensation of it is attended by immense crowds of people from the neighbouring parishes. It is, indeed, a high solemnity. Manse. In 1702, the manse was not habitable.

In 1709, it was a heap of rubbish. In 1710, a house in the burgh was bought for a manse. In 1728, a manse was ordered to be built on the site of the original one, near the church-yard. The present manse, which stands in the glebe, a little to the west of the town, was erected in 1786. It is a plain but substantial building, and is capable, with some repairs, of being made a very comfortable residence. The office-houses, which are thatched, are ruinous. It is expected that they will speedily be rebuilt.

Glebe.-The glebe consists of two parts; the lower, of about 9 acres, in which the manse stands, and the upper, a mile to the west, on the north side of the River of Wick, about 30 acres. In 1836, the glebe was valued by the Commissioners of Religious Instruction at L. 50 a-year.

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Stipend. In 1792, the stipend was L. 97, 13s. 4d.; in 1810, it was L. 50, and 160 bolls of victual. At present it consists of 17 chalders, half oatmeal, half bear, payable at the fiar prices, and L. 10 of money.

Teinds.-The teinds of this parish belong to the Crown. In 1836, the value of the unappropriated teind was L. 340, 9s. 4d.

Ministers of Wick since the Reformation.-Andro Philp, before 1567; Thomas Keir, before 1576; Alexander Merns, Reader at Wick; Thomas Pruntoch; John Annand, before 1636; 1638, David Allardice; 1638, John Smart, ejected in 1650, and afterwards minister of Dunnet; 1659, William Geddes, ejected in 1675; 1676, Patrick Clunis, died in 1691; 1692, William Geddes, restored; 1701, Charles Keith, died in 1705; 1707, James Oliphant, died in 1726; 1727, James Ferme, died in 1760; 1762, James Scobie, died in 1764; 1765, William Sutherland, died in 1816; 1813, Robert Phin, died in 1840; 1840, Charles Thomson, the present incumbent.

United Associate Seceders.-The congregation of these Dissenters was established in 1770. On the 21st of September 1836, according to their minister, the Rev. William Stewart, it amounted

to 1000, of whom 810 were resident within the parish of Wick quoad sacra. According to the Rev. Robert Phin, minister of Wick, their numbers within the parish amounted at that date to 700.

The chapel, which stands in Pulteneytown, was built in 1815, and a manse in 1825. There was, in 1836, a debt of L. 130 on the property. Allowing sixteen inches to the sitting, the chapel In 1836, the number of communicants The minister's stipend is L. 100 a-year, derived from seat-rents and collections, with a house and about half an acre of ground.

will contain 658 sitters. was upwards of 200.

Independents.-This congregation was established in 1790, in which year the chapel, which stands near Wick, was built. At sixteen inches each sitting, the chapel will hold 666 sitters. In 1836, there was a debt of L.110 affecting the property. On the 21st of September 1836, the number of Independents resident in Wick quoad sacra was, according to the Rev. John Wiseman, then minister, at least 1000; according to the Rev. Robert Phin, minister of Wick, the number was 620. According to Mr Wiseman, the communicants were 129; according to Mr Phin, they were about 100.

Anabaptists. The congregation was established in 1808. In 1836, the parishioners in the habit of attending were about 90: the number of communicants was then 29. They have no minister.

Separatists. The congregation was established in 1824. In 1836 their number amounted to 28; and the number of communicants to 13. They have neither chapel nor minister.

Papists. The congregation was established in 1832. It does not exist but in the fishing-season. A chapel, capable of holding, at eighteen inches a sitting, 306 sitters, was built, in 1836, in Pulteneytown. It is closed, and there is no priest, except during the fishing-season, when a priest comes, the chapel is opened, and service is performed for those of the Romish persuasion, who, during that period, come to Wick from Ireland and the Highlands.

Original Seceders.-The congregation was established in 1835. In 1836, from 60 to 80 persons were in the habit of attending worship. They have neither chapel nor minister.

Reformed Presbyterians.-This congregation was established in 1836. The numbers in the parish amount to about 200; the communicants to 45. Their chapel in Pulteneytown was built